Sending apparatus for pneumatic-despatch-tube systems



4 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

I B. G. BATGHELLER. SENDING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBESYSTEMS.

N0. 595,756. Patented Dec. 21, 1897.

63m [WIM- fg (M. A

m: norms PETER; co, PHOYO-IITNQ, WASHINGTO 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. G. BATOHELLER. SENDING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIG DESPATOH TUBE SYSTEMS.

Patented Dec. 21,1897

we Ncnms PETERS co pncwmwc msnmumw. n, c

(No Model.) 4 Sl1eets--Sheet 3.

B. O. BATGHELLER.

SENDING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE SYSTEMS. No. 595,756.Patented De0.21, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

B. O. BATGHELLER.

SENDING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE SYSTEMS.

No. 595,756. Patented De0.21, 1897.

H nnl 1|""'-. l 1 z a A Q g N N I a 2% I H'|u1m---- Hl"""-= WZZWESSES[NEW/I02 UNITED STATES ATENT FFICEQ BIRNEY C. BATCHELLER, OF BROOKLYN,NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES MAIL PACKAGE AND GENERALPNEUMATIC DELIVERY COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SENDING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC-DESPATCH-TUBE SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,756, dated December21, 1897. Application filed June 23, 1896. Renewed October 22,1897.Serial No. 656,065. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BIRNEY O. BATCHEL- LER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SendingApparatus for Pneumatic-Despatch-Tube Systems; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved substation sending apparatus foruse in connection with a pneumatic-despatch tube employing a column ofair in which a carrier or carriers are propelled by the air-pressure asa motive force.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the introduction ofcarriers into a despatch- 2o tube at any desired point where the sendingapparatus may be situated, and especially at substations along the lineof the tube, and one particular purpose of my present construction is toprovide an automatically operating valve mechanism for theactuating-cylinder of the sending apparatus, which valve mechanism willbe self-acting at certain times for the purpose of causing a carrier tobe intro-' duced into the tube at the time when said tube is clear ofother carriers at a point adjacent to the sending apparatus, the presentinvention being used in conjunction, if desired, with a lockingmechanism for temporarily holding the sending apparatus inopera- 3 5tive, all as fully set forth in my simultane ously-pending applicationfor Letters Patent filed June 23, 1896,Serial No. 596, 620, in which themechanism of the present invention is set forth and explained, but notclaimed.

- My invention therefore consists,essentially, in the construction,arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially as will behereinafter described, and then more particularly pointed out in theclaims. In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectionalelevation of my improved sending apparatus and other parts of apneumatic-despa'tch system. Fig. 2 is a transverse section similar toFig. 1, but taken through the entire sending apparatus which constitutesthe present invention, including the actuating-cylinder,valve mechanism,and other parts. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of a part of the deviceswhich may be employed for locking the sending apparatus temporarily.Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of a part of thesending apparatus arranged in connection with the .main tube and aby-pass. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section of the same parts shown in Fig.4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View of the locking levers or pawlswhich temporarily engage and restrain the sending apparatus, renderingthe same inoperative for the time being. Fig. 7

is a detail sectional viewshowing the yoke connection of theoperating-lever with the valve-rod belonging to the mechanism whichactuates the sending devices.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutall the different figures of the drawings.

A form of mechanism for locking the sending apparatus and rendering thesame temporarily inoperative is shown in elevation in Fig. 1, Brepresenting the air-chamber there- 7 5 of a, the air-conduit, screwedinto the wall of the valve-casing E which is on the side of theair-chamber 13; H a conical cap on the opposite end of the air-chamberB, said cap having a perforated apex; h, a horizontal rod whose endprojects through the perforated apex of the conical cap H said rod beingactuated by the air-pressure within the chamber B; H, an electromagneton the top of the air-chamber B; I, a lever actuated by saidelectromagnet; Q Q, electric wires or conductors leading to theelectromagnet, the same being some of the essential mechanical parts ofa form of locking device shown and de scribed in my other pendingapplication here- 0 inabove alluded to, which form of locking mechanismis likewise shown in elevation in Fig. 2 in order to bring out itsarrangement relatively to the position of the actuating mechanism of thesending apparatus, it being 9 5 observed that the rod h acts against thearm or trip-lever J 4 on the shaft J in the opera; tion of locking thesending apparatus; but it I will be understood, of course, that I am notto be restricted to this particular conjoint artoo if 1 rangement oflockin g mechanism with a sendin g apparatus, but reserve the liberty ofvarying the same and of rearranging and reconstructing the combinationas will be suitable and will best facilitate the operation of thesending apparatus.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the main despatch-tubeA is provided at a certain point with a removable section, as c, whichis carried by the swinging frame 0' C, pivotally supported upon thehorizontal shaft C, which has bearings at each end in the standards C CBetween the ends of the swinging tube-section c and the adjacent ends ofthe main tube A are inserted short tubesections A A which are formedintegral with a curved by-pass tube A, the said sections A A havinglateral slots or openings A A through which the air passes into theby-pass tube A, and thus it will be seen that the column of air in thetube A is enabled to preserve its continuity at all times through theby-pass tube A, even if the swinging tube-section 0 be removed fromalinement with the main tube and the passage of the air in a straightline shut off, as it were. The swinging tube-section c is thus arrangedso that it can be moved into line with the main tube or out of line,accordingly as may be desired. The swinging frames 0 C carry not onlythe tube-section 0, but also another similar tubesection 0, and eitherthe tube-section c or the tubesection 0 may be brought into alinementwith the main tube A. (See Fig.2.) In" this figure the tube-section c isin alinement with the main tube, while the tube-section c is out ofalinement. When the parts are in this position, it will be understoodthat a carrier may be inserted into the tube a. By shifting the tubes,throwing the tube 0 out of alinement with the main tube and the tube ainto alinement therewith, the carrier previously inserted into the tube0 will be placed into the main tube and brought into a position where itwill be caught in the main column of air, the pressure of which willimmediately propel it to its destination. As already suggested, thecontinuity of the air-pressure Within the main tube is kept constantthrough the by-pass A while the shifting of the tubes is taking place.On the standards (J2 C2 are the curved projecting plates C5, betweenwhich the tube-section 0 remains while the shifting of the apparatus istaking place,and which plates serve to keep the ends of the tube 0closed when the latter is not in alinement with the main tube.

On one or the other of the movable frames O is a rigid projection or arm(3, to which is pivoted a link d, which is likewise pivoted to a slide dthat operates on an inclined way or slide-bar D2, said link cl and saidslide 61 being pivoted to the end of a piston-rod d, which projectsthrough a stufling-box in the head of the inclined cylinder D, whichcylinder is arranged in some position in propinquity to the sendingapparatus and contains within it the piston D, to which the pistonrod 61is connected. The wall of the cylinder D is provided with an air-passageleading to one end of the cylinder, and an air-passage 70 leading to theother end, in order that air may be conveyed alternately to each end ofthe cylinder for the purpose of acting upon the opposite sides of thepiston. It 15 obvious that thedriving of the piston from one end of thecylinder to the other will, through the connection of the piston-rod dand the link 61' with the swinging frames that carrythe tubesections,cause the said sections to be so shifted that a carrier may easily beplaced into the main tube to be propelled. On the side wall of thecylinder D is a valve-casing M, containing the valves K and K, carriedon the valve-stem 7t. At one end of the valve chamber M is an air-inletport 7& and at the other end is another air-inlet port 70 In thevalve-chamber are also ports 70 k 7t, the middle one serving as anexhaust-port and the othertwo serving, alternately, as inlet and exhaustports. The inlet-ports k and 70 are connected with some suitable sourceof airsupply by means of any convenient tubing or piping which may beemployed for the purpose. One end of the Valve rod or stem projectsthrough a stuffing-box at one end of the valve-chamber M, while theother end passes out through the other end of the valve chamber andenters a tubular extension at on the end of the valve-chamber M. Thevalve-stern k within this tubular extension on is enveloped for aportion of its length with a spring m \vhich is tensioned between ashoulder on the valve stem and a sliding sleeve 'm engaged by thelateral pins 9n on, projecting from the yoke L on the lower end of thelever L. On the adjacent end of the valve-rod 7c is an integral head.

The lever L is pivoted on some suitable frame and is provided with ahandle Z and also with a catch L adapted to engage notches in thesegment L. Said segment L is notched so that the catch L may hold thelever in the position where the valves in the valve-chamber will be soplaced as to admit air to one end of the cylinder D, or in the otherposition where such valves will be changed into the other extremeposition for the purpose of admitting air into the opposite end of thecylinder D. It will be obvious that the operator by disengaging thecatch L and shifting the lever L may operate the valve mechanism for thepurpose of shifting the valves into one position or the other, as thecase may be. If it is desired to insert a carrier into the main tube,and for this purpose a carrier has been placed within the tube-section0' when the latter is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the operator willthen lay hold of the lever and shift the valves toward the right of theposition shown in Fig. 2, when air will immediately be admitted behindthe piston, the latter actuated, and the desired transferrence of thecarrier from a point without to a point within the tube accomplished;but if, when the operator lays hold of the lever L, he finds that thevalve mechanism and the sending apparatus are lockedthat is to say, ifthere is an obstacle against the projecting end of the valve-rod It,said obstacle being the lever J yet nevertheless it is not necessary forhim to refrain from operating lever L, because by virtue of the springarrangement just described he may shift the lever L as before, theresult of which will be to compress the spring m against the shoulderofthe valve-rod k, the lever L being then held in its shifted position bymeans of the catch L and when the parts are thus arranged it will beobvious that a release of the catch or lever J 3 from the end of thevalve-rod it will allow the spring m to come automatically into play,and the result will be that the valves will then be automaticallyshifted Without further action on the part of the operator, and hencewhen the automatic unlocking of the sending apparatus takes place inconsequence of the passage of the carrier then momentarily in the tubeopposite said sending apparatus there will take place a simultaneousautomatic operation of the shifting mechanism, whereby another carrierwill be inserted into the tube.

Adjacent to the projecting end of the valvestem is is the projection,trip-arm, or catch lever, as it may be indifferently termed, J which isformed rigidly with the horizontal shaft J on which shaft is likewise adownwardly-projecting arm-or lever J In line with the lever J 4 is abell-crank device consisting of the downwardly-projecting arm j, thestud or shaft J, and the catch-army, which is adapted to engage a notchJ in the swinging mechanism that carries the tubesections 0 cas, forinstance, in the lower edge of one of the frames 0. When the catcharm jis in engagement with the notch J there can be no shifting of theswingingmechanism; but it is obvious that said catch device j' will dropout of the notch J 'of its own weight when there is no force opposingagainst the downwardly-projecting arm j. When a force presses againstthe downwardly-projecting arm J, the result is to oscillate the shaft J2 and place the upwardly-projecting arm J 3 against the end of thevalve-rod It, so that said rod cannot be shifted. If a horizontal rodacts against the downwardly-projecting arm J 4 and shifts the samesufficiently, the result will be that said horizontal rod will passbeneath the projection J allowing the latter to rest and ride thereon,thereby making an effectual lock for the parts, and said rod maylikewise be directed against the arm j of the bell-crank device, causingthe catcharm j to engage the notch J.

Numerous changes may be made in the precise construction, arrangement,and combination of the various parts without departing from myinvention, and I reserve the liberty of so varying the invention inthese particulars as will best adapt it for practical use.

It is important to have a packing at the joints of the swinging sectionsof the tube, and hence I interpose the L-shaped piece of leather orother suitable packing material, as shown at 6%, between the swingingsection 0 and the stationary parts A A of the main tube.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In'a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination with the maintube, of two or more tube-sections, a swinging support therefor,fluid-pressure means for shifting said swinging support for the purposeof placing one or the other of the tube-sections in alinement with themain tube, and a lever for controlling said fluid-pressure motor,together with an antomatically-yielding connection between the lever andthe fluid-pressure motor, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a pneumatic-despatch tube, of two or moretube-sections, a supporting-frame therefor, and means for shifting saidsupporting-frame for the purpose of introducing one or the'other of saidtube-sections into alinement with the main tube, the same consisting ofa cylinder, a piston therein whose piston-rod operates to shift thesupporting-frame, a valve-chamber on the cylinder, valve mechanismwith-in the same, an operating-lever for said valve mechanism, ayielding connection between said lever and the valve mechanism, andlocking devices for restraining the operation of said valve mechanismwhen a carrier happens to be passing through the main tube opposite tothe substation where the sending apparatus is locked. 3. In apneumatic-despatch-tube system, the'combination with the main tube, oftwo or more tube-sections, a swinging support therefor, fiuidpressuremeans for shifting said swinging support to place one or the other ofthe tube-sections in alinement with the main tube, valve mechanismcontrolling said fluidpressure motor, a lever for operating said valvemechanism, and spring connection between the operating-lever and thevalve mechanism, substantially as described.

4. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with the maintube, of two or more tube-sections, a swinging support therefor,fiuidpressure means for shifting said swinging support to place one orthe other of the tube-sections in alinement with the main tube, valvemechanism controlling said fluidpressure motor, a lever for operatingsaid valve mechanism,a spring interposed between the valve-stem and theoperating-lever, means locking the valve stem against movement when acarrier is passing in the main tube opposite the substation, butallowing the spring to be put under tension by the lever, substantiallyas described. a

5. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination at a substation of asending apparatus, a lock therefor, restraining the apparatus frommovement when a carrier is in the main tube opposite the substation, amotor for shifting said sending apparatus, and means restraining saidmotor from action when the sending apparatus is locked, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination at a substation of asending apparatus, a lock therefor, restraining the apparatus frommovement when a carrier is in the main tube opposite the substation, amotor for shifting said sending apparatus, a manuallyoperated levercontrolling the valve mechanism of said motor, means locking the valvemechanism when a carrier is passing the substation, a yielding tensiondevice between said lever and the stem of said valve mechanism, wherebysaid yielding tension device Will be put under tension if theoperatinglever is moved while the valve mechanismis locked, and willautomatically shift the valve mechanism when the same becomes unlocked,substantially as described.

7. In a pneumatic-tube system, a motor for shifting the sendingapparatus, means looking the valve mechanism of said motor when thesending apparatus is looked, manuallyoperated means for positivelyshifting said valve mechanism when unlocked, and a tension devicebetween said manually-operated means and the Valve mechanism, which willbe put under tension if said last-named means are operated when thevalve mechanism is locked, and automatically shift the valve mechanismupon the same being unlocked, substantially as described.

' S. In a pneumatic-tube system, the combination at a substation of asending apparatus, a motor for shifting said sending apparatus, andmeans restraining said motor from action when a carrier is in the maintube opposite the substation, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BIRNEY O. BATCHELLER.

Witnesses:

HENRY B. HATHAWAY, ALPHONSE DESSION.

